Scene-setter: Algerian, Jordan fans soak up World Cup experience

SANTA CLARA — Three hours before kickoff Monday night, the gates swung open at Levi’s Stadium.

Algerian fans, Jordanian fans – Mexican and U.S. fans, too – burst through security lines to capture every second of the World Cup experience.

They posed for pictures, waved flags, kicked soccer balls in the fan zone and paid big bucks for merch.

They sang. They danced. They provided soundbites for TV.

They then watched a thriller of a match that had the packed house of 68,371 roaring. When it ended, Algeria had rallied from a one-goal halftime deficit to beat Jordan 2-1.

The Algerians tied the score on a goal by Nadhir Benbouali in the 69th minute and broke the tie on Amine Gouiri’s goal in the 82nd.

“We deserved to win this game,” Algerian coach Vladimir Petković said. “It certainly gives us a lot of confidence and belief ahead of our next match.”

The comeback capped a memorable night for the African nation and its vocal supporters, who had marched through San Francisco’s Union Square on Sunday — chanting “Algeria, Algeria” — and brought the color and passion down Highway 101 to Santa Clara on Monday.

In the hours before the match, Adam Teurkia was among a group of green-and-red clad Algerian fans creating energetic vibes in the Levi’s Stadium concourse.

He was born in Algeria but grew up in Boston.

It was his first World Cup game.

“Must-win,” he said as the stadium began to fill for the match. “As you say in American, win or go home.”

Algeria and Jordan lost their opening matches last week, elevating the stakes for Monday’s game.

Jordan had to win or draw to avoid elimination from reaching the round of 32. Algeria, even in defeat, could have forced a three-way tie for second in Group J by beating Austria on Saturday. Jordan finishes the group stage Saturday against defending champion Argentina.

“Our main concern is we need to win tonight,” Teurkia said.

To win, a team must score. And for the first 68 minutes Monday, Algeria couldn’t get the ball past Jordan goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila, who punched out shot after shot as if he were shadow boxing.

The Algerians peppered the Jordanian goal, but the script was looking somewhat familiar to their match last week against Argentina, when Lionel Messi had his first World Cup hat trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria.

“We lost against Argentina. Messi scored a hat trick. But that’s the best player,” Teurkia said. “That’s the GOAT. He scored three goals. He scored two today against Austria.”

On the other side of the stadium, Jordan supporters weren’t as boisterous as the Algerians before the match but hoped for the best.

Their team is making its first appearance on soccer’s biggest stage. Last week, in its first-ever World Cup match, Jordan lost to Austria 3-1 at Levi’s.

Magd Altayan was among the Jordanian fans in attendance Monday. He is from Syria but lived in Jordan for 10 years. While hopeful for a positive result, he knew the challenge his team faced.

“Algeria is not an easy team,” Altayan said.

Nizar Al-Rashdan’s goal in the 36th minute gave Jordan a lead that it maintained into halftime and until the middle of the second half.

But by then, Algeria had started to show why it entered the match ranked 37 spots higher than Jordan by FIFA.

“I think our lack of experience allowed them to score,” Jordan coach Nizar Al-Rashdan said. “In any case, generally speaking, we had a great match and we should be proud of our performance. Very first experience in the World Cup. We were better than the first match.

“We’re playing against a distinguished football team. The Algerian squad has great players who have played in great championships throughout the world. We didn’t see much difference, except for the corner kicks and the set pieces. I am proud of the performance of my players.”

For the Jordanians, their World Cup experience has one more match.

For the Algerians, their hope is to have more matches after Saturday’s group-stage finale.